Fettuccine Alfredo

If left on her own devices, my daughter would survive on cheesy pasta for the rest of her life happily. I genuinely mean it and am not saying just to sound fancier. One of her meals each day, especially lunch on a school day typically would be macaroni and cheese and by any chance, if something else is packed, the lunch box comes untouched, literally.  She prefers to go hungry the whole day instead of eating something else and she wouldn't care even to open her lunch box that day. Even after having her 'the most favorite' lunch, she comes home asking if I have any leftovers of the same. I couldn't even call it a phase as this has been going on for years now and her fascination towards the dish hasn't dimmed a bit. If not for the 'terrible mom' at home, she would not have to eat so many other foods. Seeing her love for 'cheese'y pastas and pizzas, my husband keeps joking that she probably was an Italian in her previous birth while I muse that a cheesy pasta recipe is all she ever needs in her life.

With this much of love for cheese going on in my home, it was obvious that I had to post a 'Cheese Sauce' based pasta. And it is going to be Fettuccine Alfredo for today that everyone enjoys at home. Fettuccine literally means 'little ribbons' in Italian and is made with eggs and flour. I have substituted the traditional fettuccine with egg-free, durum semolina one. This dish can either be called a triple treat or a triple heart attack depending upon which side of the coin you are. Cheese, cream and butter - the terrific trio definitely add oodles of flavor to the Alfredo sauce along with increasing one's girth. That said, this sauce is a no brainer and can be prepared in a jiffy. 

I had noted the recipe once that was on a cheese container that I bought and it seems to be a standard one going by the recipes that I get to see in blogs. It is a simple one to remember and have given below.  However I would prefer to go by those proportions only if I have company or if I prepare it once in a blue moon. Otherwise, I would reduce the butter proportion drastically, substitute cream (or at least some portion of it) with whole milk and go easy with the cheese and call it a lighter version. :)

Ingredients:
16 oz / 1 lb fettuccine
1 stick of butter
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste  

Method:
* Cook fettuccine in a large pot according to the package directions. Drain and add the cooked fettuccine back to the pot.
* Prepare the sauce while the pasta is being cooked. Heat butter and cream in a sauce pan over low heat. Keep stirring it constantly until the butter melts. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.
* Pour the sauce over the fettuccine in the pot. Toss until the pasta is coated well with the sauce.
* Serve warm immediately. 

This goes to Blogging Marathon #50, under the theme of "Pasta". Check out the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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